It is interesting to articulate something that family members who have been harmfully affected by the alcoholism of another family member plainly do not comprehend. It seems that by shielding the alcohol dependent individual with falsehoods and deceit to those outside the family, these well-intentioned family members have in actual fact created a circumstance that makes it easier for the alcohol addicted person to persevere and press forward with his or her unsafe, destructive way of living.
Undeniably, rather than helping the alcohol addicted person and themselves, these family members have essentially become enablers who have involuntarily helped worsen the alcohol dependent individual’s drinking problem even more.
Perhaps the real downside of this is that the alcohol dependent person will continue drinking in a hazardous and irresponsible manner and go through various “alcohol side effects.” Some of these side effects include legal issues (such as getting arrested for one or more DWIs), diminished mental functioning, deteriorating relationships, serious financial problems, ill health, and employment difficulties.
The Probability of a Relapse is Real
According to the research findings and statistics on alcohol addiction, another key alcoholism issue concerns alcohol relapses. Relapses take place when an alcohol dependent individual has effectively gone through alcoholism rehab and then returns to drinking a number of weeks or months later. At first thought, this circumstance flies in the face of sound thinking and looks so implausible that it forces an individual to wonder why anyone who has gone through the misery of alcohol addiction can return to drinking a short while after successful alcohol rehab and in turn after reaching sobriety. There are, without a doubt, many conceivable reasons for this.
It should be highlighted, conversely that alcoholism research that has centered on the long-term consequences of alcohol dependency has demonstrated-proven that long after the alcoholic has discontinued his or her drinking, major transformations in the way in which the alcohol addicted individual’s brain works are still present. As a result, all a recovering alcohol dependent individual has to do to involve himself or herself in behaviors that correspond with the changes that have occurred in the brain is to begin drinking once again.
The Need for A Significant Lifestyle Change
There are other reasons why many recovering alcohol dependent persons return to drinking a few weeks or a few months after achieving sobriety. In accordance to the alcoholism research literature, to make an effective recovery, the alcohol addicted individual needs new ways of responding and thinking in order to deal more effectively with tough alcohol-related situations that will take place.
Conditions such as returning to the same alcohol addictive atmosphere or to the same geographic location; interacting once again with friends from the time when the alcohol addicted individual was drinking abusively; or familiar songs, smells, or activities—all of these circumstances can bring about memories that can set off psychological tension or push hot buttons that influence the recovering alcoholic to engage in hazardous drinking once again. Regrettably, all of these situations may not only counteract long lasting alcohol recovery for the alcoholic but they can also result in relapse and as a result work against one’s sobriety.
The Good News: There’s a Lot of Hope for Lasting Sobriety
In an attempt to “protect” the family alcohol dependent individual, family members can in fact cause inadvertent destruction by enabling the destructive drinking behavior of the alcohol addicted person.
The addiction research literature highlights the fact that most people who successfully complete alcohol therapy experience at least one relapse. Alcoholics and their family members need to know this so that they do not get defeated or overwhelmed when a relapse takes place.
Happily, taking part in support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous and follow-up counseling and education have resulted in more productive, long-term alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction therapeutic results, have helped diminish alcohol relapses, and have helped recovering alcoholics reach ongoing sobriety.
Filed under Health by on Nov 5th, 2009. 
When I was in the tenth grade in high school, I registered for a substance abuse class. At that age, I did not comprehend that alcohol abuse in point of fact was a sub category of drug abuse. While taking this class and learning more about drug and alcohol abuse and especially about alcohol side effects, I read a lot about Alcoholic Anonymous, their meetings, how their programs have twelve steps, and how successful the Alcoholics Anonymous recovery program has been for individuals all through the world. I also learned a lot about alcohol treatment and the diverse alcohol rehab clinics that are often available to people who engage in heavy drinking.
Harmful Outcomes That are Correlated With Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse
Some of the harmful effects related to alcoholism and alcohol abuse that I learned about in this class absolutely worried me. The ruined lives and frequent difficulties experienced by most alcohol dependent people made me feel like I never wanted to drink alcohol when I became old enough. That is, I did not want to face the wreckage and destruction that alcohol addicted people almost always go through.
Ponder upon this for a moment. What fifteen-year-old teenager wants to face premature death due to his or her drinking behavior? What adolescent wants to become so out-of-control regarding his or her drinking that consuming alcohol becomes the object of one’s life? What adolescent wants to go to one of the local alcoholic rehabilitation centers to deal with alcohol-related problems before he or she becomes an adult?
What adolescent wants to deal with alcohol withdrawals when he or she tries to quit drinking? Why would an individual engage in drinking to such an extent that it would cause serious issues in every area of his or her life? Drinking later in life after an individual has a career, a family, and develops personal responsibilities makes sense. But why would a young person want to sacrifice his or her education, employment, finances, and relationships for a life that centers on hazardous drinking?
These issues were so important that I discussed some of them in class throughout the school year. What was absolutely amazing to me was the number of students who essentially didn’t care about the harmful outcomes of hazardous drinking that I discussed. It was almost as if they couldn’t be bothered with reality and how these effects can demolish their lives. For the first time in my life I started to grasp a saying that my grandfather used to emphasize throughout my youth: you can lead a horse to water but you can’t force it to drink.
It’s Invigorating, Important, and Beneficial to Remove Yourself From the Unhealthy and Destructive Consequences of Alcohol and Drug Abuse
And even at my young age, I also started to understand how invigorating, important, and beneficial it is in life to keep away from the unhealthy and damaging outcomes of alcohol and drug abuse.
Filed under Health by on Oct 31st, 2009.
When I was a sophomore in high school, I registered for a drug abuse class. At that age, I did not realize that alcohol abuse in point of fact was a sub division of drug abuse. While taking this class and learning more about drug and alcohol abuse and above all about alcohol side effects, I read a lot about Alcoholic Anonymous, their meetings, how their programs have twelve steps, and how successful the Alcoholics Anonymous recovery program has been for people throughout the world. I also learned quite a bit about alcohol treatment and the various alcohol rehab clinics that are regularly available to problem drinkers.
Dangerous Outcomes That are Correlated With Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse
Some of the damaging consequences associated with alcoholism and alcohol abuse that I learned about in this class definitely terrified me. The ruined lives and many serious issues experienced by most alcohol dependent people made me feel like I never wanted to drink alcohol when I became old enough. That is, I did not want to face the disaster and ruination that alcohol addicted individuals almost always experience.
Reflect on this for a moment. What fifteen-year-old teenager wants to face premature death due to his or her drinking behavior? What adolescent wants to become so out-of-control regarding his or her drinking that drinking alcohol becomes the object of one’s life? What adolescent wants to go to one of the local alcoholic rehabilitation centers to deal with alcohol-related issues before he or she becomes twenty-one?
What teenager wants to go through alcohol withdrawal symptoms when he or she tries to quit drinking? Why would an individual engage in drinking to such an extent that it would cause serious issues in every area of his or her life? Drinking later in life after an individual has a career, a family, and develops personal responsibilities makes sense. But why would a young person want to sacrifice his or her education, employment, finances, and relationships for a life that centers on irresponsible drinking?
These issues were so noteworthy that I discussed some of them in class throughout the school year. What was downright astonishing to me was the number of students who simply didn’t care about the dangerous results of excessive drinking that I talked about. It was almost as if they couldn’t care less about the facts and how these effects can wreck their lives. For the first time in my life I started to figure out something that my grandfather used to tell me all through my teen and pre-teen years: you can lead a horse to water but you can’t force it to drink.
It’s Liberating, Beneficial, and Important to Keep Away From the Destructive and Unhealthy Consequences of Alcohol and Drug Abuse
And even at my young age, I also started to comprehend how beneficial, important, and energizing it is in life to stay away from the unhealthy and destructive effects of alcohol and drug abuse.
Filed under Health by on Oct 27th, 2009.
Jennifer is a thirty-two-year-old junior sales consultant who has been ingesting alcohol in a hazardous and abusive manner since she and her boyfriend decided to break up. Indeed, for the past nine months she has been drinking very nearly one-and-a-half bottles of wine every night, and on the weekends she also has been drinking more than a few wine coolers during the day. In a word, Jennifer has been drinking so excessively that it’s amazing that she hasn’t suffered from alcohol poisoning.
After feeling unhappy because she was starting to close her eyes to her health, Jennifer finally told herself that enough is enough, that it’s time to quit the self pity routine, that it’s time to stop the abusive drinking, and time to get on with her life. So the following Saturday morning at 9:30 AM, she made up her mind to stop drinking suddenly and completely without planning or preparation.
When She Stopped Drinking She Felt Horrific, Her Head Was Throbbing, She Vomited Several Times, She Started to Sweat Profusely, She Was Extremely Anxious and Moody, and She Had Absolutely No Appetite
When Jennifer quit drinking, she reasoned that she would probably be tempted to take a drink or two, but she never inferred that she would feel so sick. More specifically, around three hours after she stopped drinking, she was extremely moody and anxious, she had utterly no appetite, she started to perspire extensively, her head was pounding, and she vomited several times.
When she called her best friend and informed her that she had quit drinking and that after a couple of hours she abruptly began having flu-like symptoms, Gail, her best pal, told Jennifer to call her physician and clearly explain what she was going through.
She Admits to Her Family Doctor That She Has Been Drinking Excessively, That She Just Tried to Quit Drinking, and That She is Experiencing Horrible Flu-Like Symptoms
So Jennifer called her family doctor, told him that she has been drinking in a hazardous and abusive manner for many months and that when she tried to completely stop drinking earlier in the day, within a few hours she felt as if she had the nastiest flu-like symptoms that she had ever gone through.
Her healthcare practitioner informed her that she may be going through symptoms of alcohol withdrawal and that she should have a family member or friend drive her to the emergency room as soon as possible.
As soon as Jennifer got off the phone, she got a relative to drive her to the hospital. Interestingly, all the way to the hospital, as sick as Jennifer felt, the only thing she could think about was whether or not she might be alcohol dependent.
It seems that her healthcare professional had phoned ahead and told the emergency room medical team to expect Jennifer because when she got to the hospital, she was met by two emergency room workers who without hesitation asked her to lie down on the portable bed they had with them. After getting wheeled to the emergency room and undergoing a few essential tests, it was established that Jennifer was indeed experiencing alcohol withdrawal symptoms and was in need of alcohol detoxification.
A doctor gave her some drugs to address her flu-like symptoms and also gave her some medications to help eliminate the alcohol that was still in her blood.
A Drug and Alcohol Addiction Physician Discusses That She is Addicted to Alcohol and Then Discusses What Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms and Alcohol Dependency Stages Are
After an hour or two, Jennifer was transferred from the emergency room and transported to the recovery room. After she was in recovery for nearly three-and-a-half hours, Doctor Rosenberg, an alcohol and drug addiction specialist, came to visit her. He took plenty of time and clearly explained that Jennifer had gone through alcohol withdrawal symptoms when she quit drinking due to the fact that she had become an alcoholic.
He then stated that with heavy drinking on an everyday basis, the individual’s brain in a step-by-step fashion adjusts to the alcohol so that it can carry out tasks and operations in a “routine” fashion. When the individual then all of a sudden abstains from drinking alcohol, understandably, the brain responds by eliciting alcohol withdrawal symptoms. What is more, her healthcare professional also went over the different alcoholism stages that an alcoholic regularly goes through as the disease gets progressively worse over time.
It is Established that Jennifer is in the Earliest Stage of Alcohol Addiction and She Gets a Good Prognosis For a Complete Recovery if She Gets the Alcohol Addiction Rehabilitation She Requires
Fortunately for Jennifer, it was discovered that she was in the first stage of alcoholism and, as a consequence, she received a favorable prognosis for a complete recovery if she receives the alcohol rehabilitation she requires.
Jennifer told the healthcare practitioner that she will do whatever it takes to get sober and to get back her life. She also mentioned that she has a first class hospitalization policy that will probably pay for most, if not all, of the costs required for treatment. It was clear to see that Jennifer was quite thankful about her encouraging prognosis and felt at peace knowing that she will be able to get the alcohol addiction treatment she requires so that she can begin the road to recovery.
Filed under Health by on Oct 22nd, 2009.
Jennifer is a twenty-eight-year-old legal assistant who has been drinking in a hazardous and irresponsible manner since her live-in boyfriend and she severed their relationship. In fact, for the past ten months she has been drinking just about two bottles of wine every night, and on the weekends she also has been drinking several mixed drinks all through the day. In a word, Jennifer has been drinking so abusively that it’s a wonder that she hasn’t suffered from alcohol poisoning.
After feeling disheartened because she was beginning to let her health go downhill, Jennifer finally told herself that enough is enough, that it’s time to quit the self pity party, that it’s time to stop the abusive and hazardous drinking, and time to make a new start with her life. So the following Saturday morning at 10:00 AM, she came to a decision that she would stop drinking cold turkey.
When She Attempted to Stop Drinking She Felt Sick, She Was Extremely Restless and Moody, She Started to Perspire Profusely, Her Head Was Aching, She Vomited Numerous Times, and She Had Absolutely No Appetite
When Jennifer quit drinking, she assumed that she would quite possibly be tempted to sneak a drink or two, but she never presumed that she would feel so dreadful. More specifically, around two-and-a-half hours after she quit drinking, she vomited a number of times, she was extremely moody and anxious, she had utterly no appetite, she started to sweat extensively, and her head was aching.
When she called her best buddy and informed her that she had stopped drinking and that after a few hours she suddenly began experiencing flu-like symptoms, Julia, her best friend, told Jennifer to call her medical practitioner and explain what was taking place.
She Admits to Her Healthcare Professional That She Has Been Drinking In an Excessive and Abusive Manner, That She Just Tried to Quit Drinking, and That She is Experiencing Extremely Unpleasant Flu-Like Symptoms
So Jennifer called her family doctor, told him that she has been drinking in an abusive and excessive manner for quite a few months and that when she honestly tried to totally stop drinking earlier in the day, within a few hours she felt as if she had the nastiest flu-like symptoms that she had ever suffered through.
Her physician told her that she may be suffering from symptoms of alcohol withdrawal and that she should have someone drive her to the emergency room as soon as humanly possible.
As soon as Jennifer got off the phone, she got a neighbor to take her to the hospital. Interestingly, as sick as Jennifer was, all she could think about all the way to the hospital was whether or not she might be addicted to alcohol.
It appears that her healthcare practitioner had called ahead and told the emergency room medical team to expect Jennifer because when she got to the hospital, she was met by two nurses who immediately told her to lie down on the portable bed they had with them. After getting moved to the emergency room and undergoing two or three important tests, it was confirmed that Jennifer was indeed suffering from alcohol withdrawal symptoms and was in need of alcohol detoxification.
A healthcare professional administered some drugs to reduce her flu-like symptoms and also administered some medications to help eliminate the alcohol that was still in her system.
An Alcohol Addiction and Alcohol Abuse Healthcare Professional Clearly Explains That She is Dependent on Alcohol and Then Discusses What Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms and Alcoholism Stages Are
After an hour or two, Jennifer was transferred from the emergency room and wheeled to the recovery room. After she was in recovery for nearly an hour, Doctor Levine, an alcohol and drug addiction specialist, came to visit her. He took plenty of time and explained in laymen’s language that Jennifer had gone through alcohol withdrawal symptoms when she stopped drinking because she had become alcohol dependent.
He then discussed the fact that with continuous and heavy drinking, the person’s brain gradually becomes accustomed to the alcohol in order to perform in a “semi-normal” manner. When the individual then suddenly refrains from drinking alcohol, it can be noted, the brain reacts by giving rise to alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Furthermore, her doctor also discussed the various alcoholism stages that an alcoholic regularly experiences as the disease gets worse over time.
It is Verified that Jennifer is in the First Stage of Alcoholism and She Obtains a Favorable Prognosis For a Total Recovery if She Gets the Alcoholism Rehab She Needs
Fortunately for Jennifer, it was established that she was in the first stage of alcoholism and, as a result, she received a favorable prognosis for a full recovery if she receives the alcoholism rehab she requires.
Jennifer told the healthcare practitioner that she will do whatever it takes to get sober and to recover her health. She also articulated that she has a first-rate hospitalization insurance policy that will quite possibly pay for most of the costs needed for rehab. It was clear to see that Jennifer was quite happy with her optimistic medical forecast and felt reassured knowing that she will be able to get the alcoholism rehabilitation she needs so that she can begin the road to recovery.
Filed under Health by on Oct 8th, 2009.